Drawing-pen.



No. 647,728. Patented Apr. 17, I900.

S. G. SCANLAN. v

DRAWING PEN.

(Application filed Jan. 8. 1900.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAM GWYN SCANLAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE EUGENE DIETZGENCOMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

DRAWING-PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,728, dated .April1'7, 1900.

Application filed January 8, 1900. Serial No. 654. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAM GWYN SCANLAN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Drawing-Pens, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to drawing-pens of the type known as ruling andcompass pens; and the object of my invention is to provide means wherebythe nibs or blades may be spread for cleansing or other purposes withoutaltering the adjustment of said nibs or blades withrespect to theirdistance from each other when closed. I attain this object by themechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1is a side view of a pen embodying my invention. In said figure thesliding catch is shown in engagement with the detent-spindlc, and thepen-blades are closed. Fig. 2 is a side View of the pen, showing thesliding catch retracted and the pen-blades spread. Fig. 3 is a top viewof the'pen asshown in Fig. 2, the sliding catch being retracted anddisengaged from the detent-spindle. Fig. 4 is a top view, on an enlargedscale, of a portion of the sliding catch and adjacent portions of themechanism. Said catch is shown in a retracted position, and the milledthumb piece orcap which forms a part of said catch is removed. Fig. 5 isa view of the set-screw and adjacent parts on an enlarged scale, partlyin section, taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 4, and looking in the directionof the arrow in said Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the innerface of the upper blade, showing the thumb-piece spindle and the slot insaid blade wherein said spindle travels and whereby the travel of thesliding catch is limited. Fig. 7 is a side View of an alternative formof my invention, wherein the set-screw and the detent-spindle aredifferentiated, and said set-screw and the sliding catch are carried bythe same blade. Fig. 8 is a side view of a second alternative form of myinvention, wherein the set-screw and the detent-spindle arediiferentiated and said set-screw and the sliding catch are carried bydifferent blades.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the form of pen shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the handle a issecured to the penstock I). The upperblade c and the lower blade d areconnected to and are preferably integral 5 5 with said stock, so as toform one piece therewith. I prefer this solid or one-piece construction,as it simplifies the process of manufacture and also avoids theliability of the blades to become loosened by wear, as fre- 6c quentlyhappens when a pen-blade is hinged to its stock. Said lower blade d issubstantially inflexible and is suitably apertnred to receive and carrythe detent-spindle, which latter in this form of my inventionconstitutes also an adjusting-screw, as hereinafter described.

The upper blade 0 is so constructed that its elasticity tends to raiseit from the blade 62 a distance sufficient to permit cleaning or sharp-7c ening, and in order to decrease the amount .aperture g for receivingthe detent-spindle hereinafter described. The slot h, located adjacentlyto said aperture g, extends longi- 8o tudinally in said blade 0 andreceives and limits the motion of the spindle of the thumbpiecehereinafter described. The parallel grooves or ways it (shown on anenlarged scale in Figs. 4 and 5) extend longitudinally in said blade ata portion thereof adjacent to the said slot h. Said grooves lie in theupper surface ofthe blade 0 and are so placed as to formlaterally-projecting ledges or flanges j j for the retention of thesliding catch e. Said o flanges-extend rearwardly a short distancetoward the stock I) and terminate at the thinned portion f of the blade0.

The sliding catch 6 consists of a short piece, preferably of metal,which is designed to occupy a position upon the upper or outer faceofthe pen-bla'de c and move longitudinally thereon. Said catch is providednear the lateral edges thereof with inwardly-projecting flanges k k,which are so placed and are of such configuration as to enter thegrooves it in the blade 0 and be held in engagement with said blade bymeans ofthe saidflanges It 70 thereon. Atits forward extremity saidcatch e is slotted, so as to have formed thereon the prongs or fingers mm, adapted to engage the head at, formed, upon the detentspindle 0. 1

The sliding catch 6 is operated by meansof the thumb-piece p and has athreaded aperture q for receivingthe correspondinglycomes, in efiect, apermanent part thereof, The longitudinal motion of said thumb-piece andcatch is therefore limited to the length lating the distance betweensaid pen blades' is ,preferableth'at said disk be located upon saidspindle so as to occupy a position be-' fined. I

The head nof the above-mentioned detentof the sloth, wherein saidspindle r is con-' spindle 0 is formed thereon atthe extremity thereofnearest the upper pen-blade c and-is of greater diameter than theadjacent portionof said spindle, thereby being adapted to be engaged bythe prongs m m of the catch e.

Said spindle 0 is threaded at a portion thereof 1 opposite to said head11, said threaded portion screwing into the .lower blade (1. The

location of i said spindle upon the blade dis such that .when saidblades are caused to approach said spindle-headn will penetrate saidblade 0 through the aperture 9 therein. Said spindle-head will then bein a position to be engaged by the said prongs m m when; the. catch 6 isin a forward position and' re-' leased when said catch is retracted. Theengagement of said spindle 0 by said catch emaintains the blades 0 anddin a closed position.

The spindle 0 is provided withadisks and constitutes an adjustingset-screw for reguwhen the latter are in aclosed position.

tweensaid blades and that the periphery of said disk be milled forconvenience of opera-. tion.

Asthe blade 0 tends to spring away from the blade d, the fingers ofthecatch, e will ex; ertpressure upon the under surface-of the head nofsaid spindle o, and the resulting friction tends to prevent therotation of said spindle. The part e therefore constitutes both,

aretaining-catch and a friction catch or brake, and the advantage ofthis last-mentioned feature is important, for the thickness of theordinary pen-blades issosmall that space isaiforded for but few threadsor very fine threads for engagement with the set screw. spindle. Itobind, sufficiently to guard against acciden- If such threadsare cutso-astal rotation of the set-screw, the threads soon become worn out. Bymy construction the set-screw may be so constructed as to rotate freelywhen disengagedfrom the catch e, but will be guarded by said catch fromaccidental rotation when the. pen-blades are, closed. I .In theoperation of the pen above described *when it is desired to close thepen-blades they are forced together until the head it of the spindle 0protrudes beyond the upper blade 0. The catch e is then moved forward,and the fingers m m thereof engage the said spindle-head n, and thereby.hold said blades in proximity. The distance between the points of thepen-blades is adjusted by screwing the spindle 0 within the blade d.

, The form of pen shown in Fig, 7 resembles the one above described andhas the handle t, whereto the stock it is rigidly attached. The upperblade 0 and lower blade w are preferably of one piece with said stock,and

spring to an open position away from the said blade to. The-approach ofthe blade 2) to the blade wis limited by the set-screw m, which is ofthe ordinary pattern and carried by said blade t. Secured to the bladevw at a point between-the said set-screw a: and the said stock u is thespindle y, having a head z for engagement with thesliding catch 1. Theupper blade '1; is suitably-apertured to afford a free passage for thesaid spindle said spindle being of such length that the head z'thereofproject's beyond said blade 4.; when. said blades are closed. Thesliding .catch 1 is mounted upon the upper or outer vided with suitableguides for permitting the longitudinal motion of said catch 1-, butretaining the latter in position upon said blade. Theparts are soconstructed thatwhen the pen-blades are-in a closed positionand the saidcatch 1 is moved forward uponthesaid blade 0 said catch engagesthespindley and vholds said blades in closeproximity.

In operation when the blades are to be-closed for use the upper blade 12is forced to approach the lower bladew and thelsliding catch 1 is movedforward until it engages the head 2 of the pin y. The points of thepen-blades are then maintained in contact with each other, or nearly so.WVhen the distance between the points of said blades is to be increased,the set-screw x is screwed farther into the upper bladec and caused topress against the inner face of the opposite blade to, thereby forcingthe adjacent portions of said blades farther'apart, 7 As the distancebetween said blades remains unchanged at the spindle y, thevspreading ofthe pointed extremities of said'blades causes a flexure of. the blade 1;about the said spindle 'y as a fulcrum. When the blades are to be openedor spread for cleaning or sharpening, the catch 1 is retracted, therebyreleasing the spindle y and allowing the elasticity of the blade 0 toraise the latter from the blade w].

said blade 1) is so constructed as to tend to surface'of the bladeo,'the latter-being pro IIO The form of pen shown in Fig. 8 closelyresembles the form shown in Fig. 7 and hereinabove described. In theform shown in Fig. 8 the pen-handle 2 is securely attached to the stock3, and to said stock are attached the upper blade 4 and lower blade 5,said stock and blades being preferably constructed of a single piece ofmetal. The upper blade 4 is provided with a set-screw 6 of the ordinarypattern. Securely attached to said upper blade 4 and extending in thedirection of said blade 5 is the spindle 7, having a head 8, whichprojects through a suitable aperture in V the blade 5 when the pen isclosed. The sliding catch 9 is mounted upon thelower or outer surface ofthe blade 5, in which position it is maintained by means of suitableguides and permitted to travel upon said blade lengthwise thereof. Saidcatch 9 is adapted to engage the said head 8 of the spindle 7 when saidhead projects through said blade 5. Said spindle 7 and catch 9 arelocated between the stock 3 and the set-screw 6, and the adjustment ofthe points of the pen-blades is effected by means of said set-screw 6 inthe manner described in connection with the form of pen shown in Fig.-7. The spreading of the blades is permitted by retracting the catch 9,and the proximity of said blades is maintained by projecting said catchin the manner of operation of the pens above described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure 7 by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a drawing-pen, the combination of a part projecting from one ofthe pen-blades and a catch sliding longitudinally upon the other of saidblades for engaging said projecting part, thereby maintaining saidblades in a closed position;

2. In a drawing-pen, the combination of a spindle attached to one of thepen-blades, and extending therefrom toward the second of said blades; ahead upon said spindle; a detaining-catch attached to and sliding uponthe second of said blades, and means upon said catch for engaging saidspindle-head.

3. In a drawing-pen, the combination of a spindle carried by one of thepen-blades, and extending therefrom toward the second of said blades; anaperture in the second of said blades for receiving said spindle; asliding catch mounted upon the upper or outer face of said second blade,and means of connection between said catch and said spindle at a portionof the latter which protrudes through said aperture in said second bladewhen said blades are in proximity.

4. In a drawing-pen, the combination of a spindle carried by one of thepen-blades, and extendin g therefrom toward the second of said blades; ahead upon said spindle; an aperture in the second of said bladesaffording a passage for said spindle-head; a catch mounted upon theupper or outer face of said second blade, and fingers upon the saidcatch for en gaging and detaining the said spindle-head.

5. In a drawing-pen, the blades whereof tend to spread, the combinationof a spindle carried by one of said blades, and extending toward thesecond of said blades; a head formed upon said spindle; an aperture insaid second blade affording a passage for said spindle-head through saidblade; a catch mounted upon the outer face of said second blade; meansfor guiding said catch longitudinally upon said second blade, andfingers upon said catch whereby said spindle-head may be en gaged whensaid pen-blades are in proximity.

6. In a drawing-pen,the combination of a catch mounted upon one of thepen-blades, and a spindle carried by the second of said blades andadapted to be engaged by said catch; and means whereby said spindle maybe adjusted in said second blade.

7. In a drawing-pen, the combination of a spindle carried by one of thepen-blades, a catch having means for engaging said spindle, grooves inthe second of said pen-blades for guiding said catch, and flanges uponsaid catch for entering said grooves.

8. In a drawing-pen, the combination of a spindle carried by one of thepen-blades, a catch mounted upon the second of said blades and havingmeans for engaging said spindle, and a thumb-piece for operating saidcatch.

9. In a drawing-pen, the combination of a spindle attached to one of thepen-blades; a catch slidingly mounted upon the second of said blades andhaving means of engagement with said spindle; a slot in said secondblade for limiting the travel of said catch, and a part projecting fromsaid catch into said slot,- and thereby limiting the travel of saidcatch.

10. In a drawing-pen the combination of a spindle composed of aset-screw adjustably carried by one of the pen-blades; a head formedupon said spindle; and a sliding catch carried by the second of saidblades and adapted to bear against a surface of said spindle-head,thereby detaining said spindle, and increasing the frictional resistanceto the rotation thereof.

11. In a drawing-pen, the combination of a set-screw spindle carried byone of the penblades and having a head formed thereon; an aperture inthe second of said blades for affording a passage for said spindle; asliding catch adapted to engage said spindle-head,

flanges upon said catch for holding the same piece to said catch, andsaid spindle projecting beyond said catch into said slot in said secondblade, and thereby limiting the motion of said catch.

SAM GWYN SOANLAN. Witnesses:

CHARLES L. HERRICK, ARTHUR M. 00X.

